Apparatus and method for utilizing monochrome light to determine blood oxygen saturation in a non-invasive manner

Abstract

An example method, apparatus, and pulse oximeter device for determining a blood oxygen saturation value in a subject are provided. The example apparatus may include a light source configured to emit monochrome light of a single emitted wavelength. The light source may be positioned to direct the monochrome light at a portion of a subject. The example apparatus may further include a light sensing diode configured to receive an unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light. The apparatus may also include a controller configured to determine a blood oxygen saturation value based on one or more characteristics of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light comprising light of the single emitted wavelength.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a light source configured to emit monochrome light,
 wherein the light source is positioned to direct the monochrome light at a portion of a subject, and 
 wherein the monochrome light comprises light of a single emitted wavelength; 
   a light sensing diode configured to receive an unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light; and   a controller configured to determine a blood oxygen saturation value based on one or more characteristics of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light comprising light of the single emitted wavelength.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light sensing diode is positioned adjacent to the light source, and
 wherein the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light is reflected by the portion of the subject.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light sensing diode is positioned opposite the portion of the subject as the light source, and
 wherein the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light traverses the portion of the subject.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the light sensing diode is a photodiode configured to produce an electrical output based on an intensity of light received comprising the single emitted wavelength. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to extract an unabsorbed period of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the unabsorbed period corresponds to a sub-portion of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light between two consecutive local minimums. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the unabsorbed period is transmitted to a blood oxygen saturation machine learning model configured to determine the blood oxygen saturation value based on the unabsorbed period. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the blood oxygen saturation machine learning model is a blood oxygen saturation neural network. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is one of a light-emitting diode (LED) and a laser. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single emitted wavelength of monochrome light is between 400 nanometers and 10 micrometers. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 causing a light source to emit monochrome light,
 wherein the monochrome light is directed at a portion of a subject, and 
 wherein the monochrome light comprises light having a single emitted wavelength; 
   receiving an electrical output representing an intensity of an unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light received at a light sensing diode; and   determining a blood oxygen saturation value based on one or more characteristics of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light comprising light of the single emitted wavelength.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the light sensing diode is positioned adjacent to the light source, and
 wherein the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light is reflected by the portion of the subject.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the light sensing diode is positioned opposite the portion of the subject as the light source, and
 wherein the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light traverses the portion of the subject.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the light sensing diode is a photodiode configured to produce an electrical output based on an intensity of light received comprising the single emitted wavelength. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 extracting an unabsorbed period of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the unabsorbed period corresponds to a sub-portion of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light between two consecutive local minimums. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 transmitting the unabsorbed period to a blood oxygen saturation machine learning model; and   receiving from the blood oxygen saturation machine learning model the blood oxygen saturation value,
 wherein the blood oxygen saturation value is based on the unabsorbed period. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the blood oxygen saturation machine learning model is a blood oxygen saturation neural network. 
     
     
         19 . A pulse oximeter device, comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 an upper portion comprising a light source; and 
 a lower portion comprising a light sensing diode; 
 wherein a portion of a subject is received into a space defined between the upper portion and the lower portion; 
 wherein the light source is configure to emit monochrome light directed toward the lower portion, 
 wherein the monochrome light comprises light having a single emitted wavelength, and 
 wherein the light sensing diode is configured to receive an unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light; and 
   a controller configured to determine a blood oxygen saturation value based on one or more characteristics of the unabsorbed portion of the monochrome light.   
     
     
         20 . The pulse oximeter device of  claim 19 , further comprising an electronic display, wherein the electronic display is configured to display the blood oxygen saturation value.